The present invention relates generally to locking mechanisms, and more particularly, to a two-piece interlocking extension suitable for maintaining two zippers pulls in a spaced locked relationship until the mechanism is broken.
Conventional zippers are used on a wide variety of articles to quickly and easily attach and detach two pieces of material such as fabrics, plastics, leather, synthetics, blends, and like materials. Conventional zippers have proved satisfactory in many applications where ready attachment and detachment is the only or primary objective, however, in some applications it is also highly desirable to provide a mechanism for locking the zipper in a closed position for security purposes.
One such application is the commercial display of articles such as comforters, quilts, blankets, linens, pillows, drapery, and the like. These articles are typically packaged in generally clear, lightweight plastic enclosures for shipping and sanitary purposes. The articles are commonly displayed in the clear enclosures to provide for visual inspection of the article contained therein by the potential customer and to also maintain the cleanliness of the article.
The use of conventional zippers in such applications provides the limited benefit of providing for ready opening and closing of the enclosure to access the article contained therein. In making a purchasing decision, potential customers often desire to touch as well as to view the article, especially comforters, linen, and other more xe2x80x9cintimatexe2x80x9d articles that often contact a person""s skin. With conventional zippers, the potential customer can easily unzip and open the enclosure and reach therein to feel the article. However, potential customers sometimes will open the enclosure and remove the article therefrom, which can result in the article becoming dirty and unsanitary from handling, contacting the floor, and/or like contaminants. This is particularly undesirable for such xe2x80x9cintimate articlesxe2x80x9d as discussed above.
Furthermore, there are an increasing number of instances where potential customers insert additional articles into the enclosures with such additional articles concealed to avoid paying for them. Potential customers have also inserted higher cost articles into enclosures from which they removed lower cost articles with pricing information provided on the enclosures to pay the lower price for the higher priced article.
In order to secure the articles within the enclosures, nylon cable straps are sometimes used to secure the zipper head or heads in the closed position. Such cables comprise a strap with a male end that is inserted through conventional zipper head apertures and looped back to be received by the opposite female end of the same strap. Such known cable straps require the use a cable gun to install the straps. Additionally, it is known to secure the zipper head apertures together by the use of tie straps made of a material such as metal wire, plastic, or the like. These known techniques provide the benefit of locking the zipper closed to prevent removal of the article from the enclosure, however, they also preclude the prospective customer from being able to touch the article to evaluate its softness, durability, quality of construction, and the like.
Accordingly, what is needed but not found in the prior art is a device which permits locking of a zipper on an enclosure to prevent access and/or removal of the article contained therein, that also permits limited access to the article for inspection thereof.
Generally described, the present invention provides a locking and extension device for a zipper on an enclosure, the zipper including a first head with an eyelet and a second head with an eyelet. The zipper and the locking and extension device are preferably made of nylon or the like.
In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a first extension member having a head and a tail. The first extension head preferably has an aperture that is coupled to the eyelet of the first zipper head. The tail has a male connector and an elongated intermediate portion between the head and the male connector. The male connector preferably has at least one generally triangular recess defined therein or rib defined thereon. The elongated intermediate member has a generally flat profile permitting the elongated intermediate member to freely slide within the channel of the female connector as described below.
There is provided a second extension member having a head and a body with a female connector. The second extension head preferably has an aperture that is coupled to the eyelet of the second zipper head. The first extension head and the second extension head preferably have approximately the same as the thickness. The female connector has a channel, a well adjacent to the channel, and an arm with at least one generally triangular tab extending therefrom. The arm is positioned within the well and the tab is positioned within the channel so that the channel is capable of receiving the male connector and the elongated portion of the tail and the tab is capable of preventing the male connector from being retracted from the channel.
A second preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a similar locking and extension device for a zipper. The second embodiment, however, has a shorter elongated intermediate member for use in applications with smaller enclosures.
A third preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a similar locking and extension device for a zipper. The third embodiment has a smooth bored channel extending through the female connector of the second extension member, and a male connector formed by at least one and preferably two ribs extending from the tail of the first extension member with a slot defined in the tail between the ribs.
A fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a similar locking and extension device for a zipper. The fourth embodiment has a smooth bored channel extending into the female connector of the second extension member and a notch defined in an interior wall thereof, and a male connector formed by at least one rib extending from the tail of the first extension member.
For use of the present invention, the male connector is inserted into and through the female connector for locking together the first and second extension members. The zipper is then locked from being entirely opened because the female connector will not permit removal of the male connector therefrom.
Because the elongated intermediate portion is generally flat, it may slide freely within the female connector between the head and the male connector. The zipper heads may thus be moved to a generally closed position so that the enclosure may be generally closed during shipping to protect the article contained there from dirt, dust, and other contamination.
Because the male connector is positioned generally at the end of the first extension member and the elongated intermediate portion is generally flat, the zipper heads may then separated to partially open the enclosure during display. In this way, the first and second extension members act as movable extensions to the zipper to permit freely closing and opening the zipper up to a predetermined range. Thus, the zipper is not locked in any fixed position, but instead permitted to be partially opened or closed but never more than partially opened. The zipper therefore can not be accidentally locked in a closed position preventing the desired limited access to the article within the enclosure.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a two-piece lock and extension for a zipper that permits the zipper to be closed during shipping of the enclosure and also permits the zipper to be partially opened and closed yet locked from being more than partially opened during display of the enclosure.
It is another object to provide a male extension for connecting to a first zipper head and a female extension for connecting to a second zipper head, the female extension capable of receiving and locking the male extension such that the male extension can not be removed therefrom wherein the zipper is thereby locked.
It is still another object to provide a generally flat elongated portion of the male extension that is capable of sliding generally freely through the female extension so that the zipper may be partially opened or closed.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are discussed or apparent in the following detailed description of the invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.